Nice Beaver was founded in 1997,
when members of local bands Scotty!
and For Cryin' Out Loud decided to work together. The group stems
from Papendrecht, a small town near Rotterdam.

The name Nice Beaver refers to a joke from the movie Naked Gun, where a game is played with perceptions and expectations. Sometimes things are not what you perceive them to be, and sometimes what you see is what you get. A similar game with reality and our expectations can be heard in the music of Nice Beaver. Deceptively simple rhythms turn out to contradict the melody, while the most complex

patterns produce groovy tunes. A musical genre is also a straitjacket, and Nice Beaver doesn't like being labelled, but with one style of music the band feels a kinship: progressive rock. Nice Beaver combine prog with influences from heavy metal and the new wave
of the eighties to make their own unique style.
The result is heavy, complex and yet melodic
and dynamic progressive rock. The lyrics play
an inportant role. The songs tell no stories,
but the words and the music together create
an atmosphere or express a feeling.
Melancholia, loss and the lack of communication, but also rebellion, optimism and love are recurring themes.

In may 2001 the first album On Dry Land saw the light. This CD was recorded at the Stable Studio's in Arnhem, produced by Mike van Dalm and released by their own independant No Beaver Records. Cyclops Records rereleased the album in 2002. November 2004 the second album Oregon was released, again by Cyclops.
Nice Beaver is not a quiet band, live shows produce quit a racket. However, the melody reigns supreme thanks to musical craftsmanship and the subtle balance between rhythm-instruments and guitar and synthesizers. A Nice Beaver show is an energetic experience, the joy and enthusiasm for making music explode from the stage.